Troubled Woods parts ways with Rose coach Foley
FORMER world No1 Tiger Woods insists he is in no hurry to find a new coach after bringing to an end his four-year partnership with Canadian Sean Foley yesterday.
Woods enjoyed a return to form under the tutelage of Foley, who also coaches England’s Justin Rose, winning eight titles and resuming his place at the top of the world rankings. But he failed to add to his collection of 14 Majors and this year has been increasingly troubled by back injuries.
The 38-year-old has not finished higher than 25th in eight tournaments this season, is sidelined until December, meaning he will miss next month’s Ryder Cup, and has fallen to No12 in the rankings.
“Sean is one of the outstanding coaches in golf today, and I know he will continue to be successful with the players working with him,” said Woods.
“With my next tournament not until my World Challenge event at Isleworth in Orlando, this is the right time to end our professional relationship. Presently, I do not have a coach, and there is no timetable for hiring one.”
Both parties said the split was amicable and Foley, who helped Woods to remodel his swing to relieve the strain on his knees, called their collaboration “one of the highlights of my career”.
“It was a lifelong ambition of mine to teach the best player of all time in our sport,” he added.
“I am both grateful for the things we had the opportunity to learn from one another, as well as the enduring friendship we have built. I have nothing but respect and admiration for him.”
Foley was the American’s third coach, having teamed up with Woods in 2010 following Hank Haney’s resignation. That six-year spell followed an alliance with Butch Harmon, with whom Woods won eight Majors before they parted ways in 2003.